Boeing 777 Vs 787: What Makes The Difference?

The 777 and 787 are two of Boeing’s most recognizable commercial aircraft series. When the words “777” or “787” are mentioned, the majority of people immediately think of the American aerospace manufacturing company. Because of the 777 and 787 series, Boeing has gained international recognition.

Many in the aviation industry have started to wonder which is better since the introduction of the 777 and later the 787. What makes them different from one another? The passenger capacity, variants, operational range, size, age, and other elements are taken into consideration.

The Boeing 777

The jet age was in full force in the 1970s. The widebody jet era began in the 1970s as well. Following the DC-10 and L-1011 TriStar, the 747 was unveiled in 1969.

A widebody aircraft that could compete on the medium- to long-haul routes that the L-1011 and DC-10 were flying but that the 747SP couldn’t quite operate to was what Boeing was after.

As a result, Boeing started coming up with a trijet that would compete with the two other widebody trijets. Originally intended to be a trijet as well, the 777 was redesigned as a twinjet in the 1980s when ETOPS regulations were relaxed.

After being redesigned, the 777 was introduced just as the DC-10 and L-1011 were getting ready to be retired. Airlines were searching for a replacement as a result, and they discovered it in the 777 and/or the MD-11.

It was revealed that United Airlines would be the 777-200’s launch customer after the plane attracted interest from numerous airlines. United received the first 777 in June 1995.

The 777 has since undergone numerous lengthening and development phases. Boeing has primarily lengthened the aircraft, as seen in the transformation between the 777-200 and 777-300, or added new engines, as seen in the transformation between the 777-200 and 777-200LR.

The Boeing 787

For many businesses, and the airline sector, in particular, the late 1990s was a lean period. As a result, orders for the 767 and 747-400 started to decline because running them was simply too expensive.

As a result, Boeing started to think about a new 747 and 767 replacement. They developed two replacements: the Sonic Cruiser, a brand-new near-supersonic aircraft, and the 747X, a lengthened 747-400.

While many airlines were interested in the Sonic Cruiser, there wasn’t much demand for a lengthened 747. The September 11, 2001 attacks, however, then took place. This rocked the airline business to its foundation and temporarily discouraged many people from flying.

This led the majority of airlines to reevaluate the Sonic Cruiser. Airlines informed Boeing that they were more interested in economics than they were in increasing speed.

In order to achieve conventional subsonic flight and a more traditional design, Boeing completely redesigned the Sonic Cruiser concept. It became one of the most fuel-efficient aircraft of its kind when Boeing made these plans available to airlines.

As a result, the 787 attracted the interest of many airlines. It was soon revealed that ANA would be the 787’s launch customer. In October 2011, the 787 made its debut with ANA. The 787-9 and 787-10 are two additional 787 variants that were created since.

Comparison

Passenger Capacity

Because the Boeing 777 series is typically bigger than the 787, it can accommodate more passengers. Comparing it to the 777-200 series, the 787-10 has a larger capacity. In a typical two-class configuration, it seats roughly 60 to 70 fewer passengers than the bigger 777-300 models. Unsurprisingly, each airline configures the exact capacity differently.

Operational Range

A little more complexity exists in this factor. The 787-10 actually has a shorter range than the standard 777-200 and 777-300 models. It also lags behind the extended-range and special long-range 777 variants from Boeing.

The US manufacturer has yet to produce a dedicated ultra-long-range version of the 787, unlike Airbus with its A350-900ULR.

List Price

List prices for both aircraft have climbed over the years and change with each Boeing price update, so any specific figure quoted here would go stale quickly. As a rough historical reference point, the 787-10 and 777-300ER have both listed in the $300-400 million range in past years, with the 777-300ER typically priced somewhat higher than the 787-10.

Airlines weighing the two have to decide whether the 777’s added capacity and range are worth the price gap over the 787, especially once the 787’s better fuel efficiency, covered below, is factored into the total cost of ownership.

Variants

To begin with, there are more variations in the 777 series than in the 787 series. Boeing offers the 777-200, 777-200ER, 777-200LR, 777-300, and the 777-300ER in the 777 series. Boeing offers the 787-8, 787-9, and 787-10 in the 787 series.

Specifications change according to the variant. Overall, though, the 777 series offers more distinct options than the 787 series.

Size

The size of the 777 and 787 series is another distinction. Overwhelmingly, 777 variants are longer than 787 variants. The largest 777 variant, the 777-300ER, runs about 242 feet long, compared to around 224 feet for the largest 787 variant, the 787-10.

Both the 777 and 787 series are widebody aircraft, built for long-haul routes with two aisles and typically 7 to 10 seats across in economy, rather than the single-aisle layout of a narrow-body jet.

Age

In contrast to the 787 series, the 777 series is older, as you might have guessed. Boeing has been building 777 aircraft since the early 1990s. The 777 was introduced to the commercial aviation industry by United Airlines in 1995.

The first 787 flight took place in December 2009, with the aircraft entering commercial service with ANA in 2011.

The 787 represents Boeing’s more recent widebody line. Although Boeing continues to build the 777, including the newer 777X currently in development, it has shifted significant resources toward the 787 program over the years.

Efficiency

The 787 series outperforms the 777 in terms of efficiency. 787 aircraft burn meaningfully less fuel per seat than 777 aircraft, making them an attractive choice for commercial airlines. Fuel is one of the largest ongoing costs of operating a jet.

Jet fuel prices fluctuate with the broader oil market, and airplane fuel tanks hold tens of thousands of gallons, so even small efficiency gains per flight add up to real savings across an airline’s fleet over time.

Purchasing 787 aircraft lets commercial airlines meaningfully reduce their fuel expenses. It uses a more efficient engine and fuselage configuration, largely thanks to extensive use of composite materials, which results in lower fuel consumption and real cost savings over the aircraft’s lifetime.

Final Thoughts

The 787 would likely provide a more comfortable ride for the majority of passengers overall. Modernized technology and general cabin improvements are a great addition.

That said, the extra cabin space on an older Boeing 777-200ER, depending on the airline’s specific configuration, can still be a good option if you’re traveling on a route where that’s what’s flying.